The Rich Life of Panamanian Children

Detail of a mural in progress on the side of a grocery store in El Valle de Anton, Panama

Who truly is "rich?" Who is "better off?" Do fancy toys, video games, plasma TVs and other "necessities" of modern childhood really make for well-adjusted, truly happy kids?

The children in our small mountain town in Panama don't have a movie theatre, Best Buy store or McDonald's. They do have strong family ties, a sense of community, simple, abundant and fresh food, and the natural world with its fresh air and sunshine. They have neighbors who know their names and look out for them if mom is not around (and even if she is). They have big brothers and sisters who hold their hands and walk them to school, or let them ride side-saddle with them on their bikes. They have moms and dads that play baseball or soccer with them in the yard.

The children in our town have a foundation of faith, and worship in tiny, open-air chapels, the big Catholic Church on the main street, in the high school, houses... even an old candy factory.

Families go out to dinner, lay around on patios and in hammocks on a Saturday afternoon, take shopping trips to town in buses... well, you get the idea. Family means everything here.

Is life perfect? Of course not. Many of the parents work at jobs that pay only $10 per day (you read it right - per DAY!), and they have bills to pay, like rent, water and propane. Most of them have cell phones - although those devices are not as ubiquitous as they are in other places, Panamanians are catching up quickly. The big news in Panama this week has been that it is "Regreso a Clases" time ("Back to School"), and like parents all over the world, this means extra expenses for school supplies. A newspaper article that I read in today's Dia a Dia (a newspaper that resembles the New York Post) quoted parent after parent lamenting how the cost of uniforms, books, paper and all of the other "utiles escolares" were more expensive than last year.

Tom and I love kids. Ours are now in college, and it's no secret that not long ago, I had a bit of an "empty nest" crisis. I'm happy to say that I did get over it, and that's when Tom and I decided to embrace our empty nester-hood (which, according to more experienced friends, might be short-lived as the birds often return to the nest) and have this adventure. So, we tend to coo over babies, try out our pathetic Spanish skills on little kids, and have conversations with teenagers about Selena Gomez and the Lone Ranger. We have been known to buy treats at the kiosk at La Pintada for as many kids as happened to be there at a given time. Tom plays peek-a-boo with babies on buses and I take way too many pictures of them.

Here are some pictures that we think show the rich and happy life that we see children living, every day, all around us. We hope you enjoy them.

We came upon this giggling group of swimmers in a pool under a waterfall on one of our mountain hikes. When they saw us, they showed off their cannon ball skills.

Mother and sons on the way to do some shopping. Sometimes buses are crowded, but they don't mind sitting 3 to a seat!

Adorable little girl on the local bus.

Taking a break from playing to enjoy some shade and a snack.

Best friends play after church.

These talented acrobats were more than willing to show us their skills!

This little guy has to sit out and just watch for now, but soon he will be big enough to join the fun.

The best treat in town - shaved ice, with your choice of flavored syrup, and cream added if you want (you want!). 50 cents each - a great deal. And look at the muscles on this lady!

It's not common, but some folks still get around on horseback around here, including the kids!